Abstract

CASTRO, Andrés  and  FLORES, Mercedes. Characterization of a Queñual (polylepis spp.) forest at Huasta District, Bolognesi Province (Ancash, Peru). Ecol. apl. [online]. 2015, vol.14, n.1, pp.1-9. ISSN 1726-2216.

Although Polylepis forests play a major role in high Andean ecology, they are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems in South America. However the perception of their value is changing, reducing its deforestation and encouraging its conservation. The goal of this research was to characterize the populations of two Polylepis species (P. reticulata and P. sericea) located in the Paria micro-basin, Huasta District. A number of 109 patches were evaluated. 200 m2 sub-patches inside 400 m² sized patches were used to assess trees with higher than 3 cm DBH, and natural regeneration was assessed in 25 m² sub-patches. For P. reticulate trees, renewals have heights usually ranging from 8 to 33 cm, plant coverage varies between 1 - 12%, and a population density of 11 - 42 individuals/sub-patch is found; DBH generally varies between 9 - 26 cm; the height ranges from 5 to 11 m, and population densities vary between 6 - 17 individuals/sub-patch. For P. sericea, the majority of renewals are 25 - 63 m high; the trees have DBH from 11 to 20 cm and are 4 - 7 m high. We suggest that the Polylepis forest in the Paria micro-basin, Huasta District, would be one of the oldest and best preserved in Northern Peru.

Keywords : Queñua; Andean forests; Polylepis reticulata; Polylepis sericea; regeneration; morphometry; Huasta.

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